Everything you need to know about gel nail services

Gel nails are
fantastic in so many ways. The gloss they offer is unmatched. They last longer
than you need them. They don’t chip every time you even snap your fingers. They
are strong.

But…

While you
would be tempted to go for gel nails all the time, given that they are almost
too good to be true, you should keep in mind some negatives, and work around
them consciously. These are the things to know, consider and watch out for the
next time you want that fantastic stuff called gel manicures on your hands.

Don’t make gel
manicures a habit

By all means, go for them, but not all the time. This is because gel manicures have a tendency of thinning out and drying your natural nails. Too much of this good thing, and you will end up with discoloured brittle nails sitting on very painful nail beds. Even infections cannot be ruled out. So every time you go for a gel manicure make sure once you remove it you go polish free for a few weeks.

Remove the gel
nails as soon as they start colour fades

With normal nail polishes one is often tempted to pick at it once it starts chipping without waiting for a nail polish remover. The same if done on gel nails is very bad for the nails. Gel manicures tend to thin your nails. The gel polish also tends to strongly adhere to your nails. So trying to peel them off will result in thin layers of your nail getting removed with the polish. Repairing this kind of nail damage can take over half a year. Also, water seeping in between the peeled polish and your nail can cause fungal infections. To protect yourself from all this, remove gel nails the way they are supposed to be removed as soon as they start falling apart.

Select the gel
polishes carefully

Some gel polishes contain formaldehyde, toluene and dibutyl phthalate. These are carcinogens. They, if overused, might cause disturbances in proper liver and thyroid functions. Fortunately, most gel polishes do not contain these ingredients any more. But always do an ingredients-check before going for the gel manicure.

Do not expose
your nails to the UV and LED lamp more than necessary

While the
amount of exposure you get to UV rays when curing your gel nails under the UV
lamp might be small. But it is intense. Too much of it might lead to skin
damage and more. LED lamps, which emit UVA rays, are no less harmful under
concentrated exposure conditions. But given that this is the only way to cure
gel nails, what you can do is monitor the time of exposure, while making
liberal use of a broad spectrum sunscreen. If you are sensitive to UV light,
you should stay away from gel manicures.

Stay away from
water as much as you can

The idea of having gel nails is because they last. No point going through so much trouble to get them if something you do takes them off early. Wetting your nails too much in water can do just that. In fact, soaking in hot water is part of the process of taking gel polish off. So avoid long baths and do not wash dishes without gloves if you want to justice to your gel nails.

Make sure your
gel nails are well cured

To take gel
nails off, you are required to soak them in acetone. This causes dehydration of
your nails and makes them brittle. Also, scraping done after this weakens the
nails further. To avoid this, make sure your manicurist applies the gel polish
properly and also cure them completely. Cured nails come off much easier.

Love your
nails as much as you do your gel nails

Once you
remove your gel nails, do give your natural nails extra attention. Pamper them
with thick moisturisers and hydrating masks along with repairing creams. They
need it.